Motel stay before cruise
 

We are going to take a cruise out of Miami in Feb. Would like to stay in Miami the night before the cruise departs. Would like some information about places to stay that would be convient to the docking area, etc. thank you

Does it have to be a motel or will a hotel work?

What are your dates?

Presidents Week, the Superbowl, the Miami International Boat Show are citywide sellout events and are actual South Florida sellout events.

If your dates take place during any of those dates, you may have to book as far away as Orlando.

That's what I was gonna say, GoT. We're cruising out of Miami on Superbowl Sunday and several people on our cruise are FREKING out because they've gotten tickets a day ahead and can't find a room. We're flying into Orlando then staying in W Palm at HI Express (priority club points)then driving to Miami airport and taking shuttle. Amazing, I booked it for a measly 10,000 points.
For any other regular cruise, we use priceline for hotels.

I can imagine!

The ride from Orlando to Miami isn't bad at all because the Florida Turnpike isn't anywhere near as busy as I-95. I can't remember how long the drive is but hey, you are on vacation, you are in sunny Florida, AND...you are getting ready to go on a cruise.

Linda, make sure y'all check out Sailfish Marina for dinner when you arrive. It is so cool to check out the billion dollar yachts and Palm Beach. The Sailfish Marina is on the water.

Cool! Thanks, GoT...been a long time since I was in the area. I hadn't even thought about a dinner spot, but with all the crowds we should call ahead and take care of it. Thanks for the suggestion!

We have a cruise leaving from Miami on Feb 5th -9th. Would like a hotel/or motel for Feb 4th.

Yep....that's Superbowl Sunday. Good luck. The Holiday Inn Express that I mentioned is actually in Juno beach, but does show openings for the 4th at $220. a night. You can do a search, but I doubt you'll find much im Miami or Lauderdale and you'll probably have to drive a bit up the coast. This hotel is 85 miles from the Miami airport.

djm, that is Superbowl Sundayf, forget finding a room within 125 miles. Literally.

Try West Palm and Orlando.

Linda, when will y'all arrive in West Palm?

Take the water taxi and if it is warm enough, snorkel Peanut Island. Go see the manatees because dozens of manatees will seek out warm water coming from the Riviera Beach Power Plant (Peanut Island/Palm Beach Inlet area which is right across from Sailfish Marina). I think it has opened back up.

http://www.geocities.com/palmbeachboating/manatees.html

Just for the heck of it, I ran a search for you and found the Sheraton at Miami airport has a room for 269. The only other one I found was the Rodeway...and BEWARE that hotel..it is the scariest hotel I've ever seen. Perhaps there will be some rooms that pop up because it will probably be busier on the 3rd.

Oh my, I see that the Super Bowl is on Feb.4th - so, I guess we'll have to get an early flight on the 5th since the ship leaves at 5pm - probably will be o.k. to do that...maybe we can stay an extra night when returning from the cruise on Saturday, Feb.10th. thanks

Be sure to get trip insurance. Flying the day of has worked ok for us, but one year we barely got out before a blizzard shut the airport down. Where are you flying from?

We are flying out of Philadelphia airport to Miami. Ship leaves at 5pm. Phila is terrible for shutting down its airport for bad weather. I'll just have to take my chances on the weather and get an early flight!

djm, what about flying to Jacksonville and driving to St. Augustine to spend the night?

It is a GREAT city, one of my favorites. Granted, a long haul down I-95 but at least you would not be stuck in Philly.

I think St. Augustine is around 4 hours from Miami. It is probably 300 miles but the traffic on I-95 flies. You could leave St. Augustine by 9AM and be in Miami by 1PM.

Let me add that the stadium on almost on the Miami-Dade/Broward County line so as long as you stay on the turnpike way south of that, you'll be fine.

Don't even think about driving I-95 through Miami or I can promise you you'll miss the ship.

Hit the Florida Turnpike in Ft. Pierce.

I-95 will be a parking lot. Resist all urges.

djm.....A roommate just got a room Holiday Inn Express West Boca Raton @ Glade Road and I-95, $170.00...

What time is the game? If we got a cab from the airport to the dock - would there be any other way to get there other than the I95?? what a mess.

Now, the game is on a Sunday 4th. If I can't go Sun (because of game.) Then I would go Monday, 5th. Do you think I'll run into problems going to the dock via 95 on that morning?

djm, I said take the Florida Turnpike instead of I-95 through South Florida and get on at Ft. Pierce.

As we will not have a car and will have to depend on taxi service to get us from the airport to the dock is this route vie Fla Turnipke thru S.Fla and getting off at Ft. Pierce feasible? thanks